It takes two to tango

Hello.

First of all, I hope everyone weathered the storm of the blaster worm that has been crashing machines left and right for the past few days at the time of writing. If you've come here hoping for a fix for the blaster worm, or come here to see if I know why someone called NT AUTHORITY/SYSTEM is crashing your computer, or why svchost.exe keeps stopping and making your machine reboot, then please click here but please come back when you've done fixing your system. This editorial is addressed to you.

Part of the outcry I've heard about the blaster worm is "Where is Microsoft when this is happening" and "Why don't someone do something" and "Why didn't anyone warn us?"

 

Well the fact is, Microsoft have had a patch available to fix this problem for near enough a whole month now. Microsoft have made news releases out to international TV, newspaper, and online press ever since this patch has been available begging people to please come to their website and download it, for free.

 

Internet based news journalists have begged people to visit the Microsoft website and update their systems for free.

 

Microsoft MVPs such as myself, well known security experts and security companies have begged people to get patched up for free.

 

The newspapers and TV press have directed people to Microsoft's website front page where Microsoft have had a big link for a month now saying "Click here to get the patch". Those of us online haven't been quiet either: We've all offered free help and advice in how to get patched, and check everything is working.

 

Yet still people say that's not enough. We get posts on the Microsoft help newsgroups screaming "I HOPE YOU KNOW THAT IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING TO HELP YOUR MILLIONS UPON MILLIONS OF USERS!!!  YOU MAKE ME VERY ANGRY!!  IF YOU HAVE TO - GO BACK TO YOUR BASEMENT AND FIGURE SOMETHING OUT! "

 

Well isn't that special? I understand people's frustration and all but does that really help?

 

So the question is what else is Microsoft supposed to do? Download the updates to your computer automatically perhaps? Oh wait, they can already do that so why did you turn it off or ignore the reminder?

 

Or perhaps they should fix these things before they happen? Which things? Bugs in software you mean? Well I think they are trying, but most programmers I know think it is impossible to totally eliminate bugs. And I do think they've been trying harder lately, but yeah I'd grant there is still room for improvement.

 

Perhaps you feel that using a computer should be like driving a car. You don't have to worry about how an engine works to drive a car after all. Why can't using a computer be like that?

 

Well actually, I think it is like driving a car. Sure, to drive a car you don't need to know anything except how to use the wheel, pedals, and gears to get along, and maybe some idea of how to behave in traffic is a good idea as well.

 

When all you have to do is worry about driving a car, things are easy. You just drive. It's the same for using a computer at work on your company network. You just come in, switch it on, log in and drive.

 

But if you want to own a car or a computer that's a little different from just driving isn't it? When you own a care you have to worry about servicing it, about keeping the petrol tank topped up and the engine full of oil and water.

 

Car engine break down? Well maybe you don't have to know how to fix it yourself but you do need to know where to go to get it fixed for you. Owning a car is a commitment to spend time and money keeping it in working order so that its safe for you and others when its on the road. If you don't take care of it then you'll find it breaks down on you when you least expect it. If you don't keep it safe then your local traffic police will order you to take it off the roads until it is safe.

 

To me, owning a computer, actually buying one for your home or small business, is much the same. You need to invest a little time and effort in keeping it maintained so it works well for you. You need to know who you are going to ask for help if it breaks down beyond your ability to fix.

 

And finally…

 

You need to keep it safe for yourself and other users if you wish to go on the internet.

 

There are plenty of people willing to help you with this. There are plenty of companies who will sell you software to help you with this. If you need a patch from Microsoft or most other computer companies out there, its going to be available for free from their website.

 

But it is up to you to let us help you. Please, take some time each month to perform some routine maintenance on your computer the same as you hopefully do for your car.

 

Hopefully you check your oil and water in your car at least every few weeks. Please get into the habit of checking your antivirus software is up to date and your operating system has all its security patches updated every few weeks too.  You can even leave your computer to do its updating indoors while you go outside and take care of that car so you don't even have to worry about getting bored watching it.

 

Well I've said all I wanted to say. The ball is in your court now.

(Feel free to whine that I just don't understand how busy you are maaaaaaaaaan in the forums)

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